# Two breweries in a day from Brussels, by train: Het Anker in Mechelen and De Koninck in Antwerp

In the morning, the guided tour of Het Anker in the Grand Beguinage in Mechelen and lunch in its brasserie; in the afternoon, De Koninck in Berchem, with two beers. All by train from Brussels.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/belgium/mechelen/itineraries/two-breweries-by-train · Revisado: 2026-11-13

## El día
- 09:15 · Salida: 15 min by train (from Bruxelles-Central or Midi; from Mechelen station to the Grand Beguinage, 25 minutes on foot)
- 10:15 · Het Anker brewery tour and its Gouden Carolus (Enjoy Tour with two Gouden Carolus · book the morning slot on its website · arrive ten minutes early) · Brouwerij Het Anker
  - 1 min on foot
- 12:15 · Brasserie Het Anker (on the same site · kitchen from 12:00 every day) · Brasserie Het Anker, €€
  - 45 min by train
- 14:00 · The De Koninck brewery, home of the Bolleke, en Antwerp (on foot to Mechelen station, train to Antwerpen-Berchem and a ten-minute walk · €19.90 with two beers) · De Koninck, Antwerp City Brewery, From €20 per person
  - 15 min by tram
- 15:30 · The Grote Markt, the town hall and the Brabo fountain, en Antwerp (optional: the centre of Antwerp before heading back)
- 17:30 · Vuelta: 45 min by train (from Antwerpen-Centraal or Berchem to Brussels)

Mechelen and Antwerp are on the same train line from Brussels, and each has its own historic brewery open to visits. This day links them: in the morning, the Gouden Carolus at Het Anker, inside the Grand Beguinage, with lunch in its brasserie; in the afternoon, the Bolleke at De Koninck, Antwerp's brewery, ten minutes' walk from Berchem station. You never take the car.

## The stops

9:15 · Train to Mechelen. About 20 minutes from Brussels. From the station to the Grand Beguinage it is a 25-minute walk through the centre.

10:15 · Het Anker. The Enjoy Tour goes round the brewery and the whisky warehouses, climbs to the roof with views over Mechelen and ends with two Gouden Carolus and a small gift. A good hour and a half, in Dutch, English or French. Book in its online shop, with a fixed time, and tickets are neither exchanged nor refunded; arrive ten minutes early.

12:15 · Lunch at the brasserie. On the same site, Flemish cooking made with the house beer, served without a break from 12:00.

14:00 · De Koninck. Train from Mechelen to Antwerpen-Berchem and a ten-minute walk. The visit is interactive and self-guided, one hour, with subtitles in four languages and two beers at the end, for €19.90 (free up to age 12). Open Tuesday to Sunday from 11:00 to 17:30, and the bar stays open afterwards.

15:30 · The centre of Antwerp, if you still feel like it. The Grote Markt and the town hall, twenty minutes by tram.

17:30 · Back to Brussels. From Berchem or from Antwerpen-Centraal, in 40 or 50 minutes.

## Who is it for?

For anyone who wants to see how Belgian beer is made, not just drink it, and doesn't mind the day revolving around it. That is three tour beers plus the one at lunch: allow for that and drink water in between. With children it works only half: De Koninck is free up to age 12, but both tours are designed for adults.

## Cómo llegar

### Without a car
All by SNCB train: Brussels – Mechelen, Mechelen – Antwerpen-Berchem and back from Antwerp. Between the stations and the breweries you walk.

### By car
We don't recommend it with two tastings. If you go by car anyway, in Mechelen the centre is closed to traffic from 11:00 to 18:00 and Het Anker has no parking for customers.

## Consejos

### Book Het Anker first of all
It is the visit with a fixed time; De Koninck adapts to whenever you arrive.

### Not on Mondays
De Koninck is closed; Het Anker also on public holidays.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How much does the two-brewery route cost?
Between €55 and €85 per person with both tours and lunch, not counting the train.

### Can it be done the other way round?
Yes: De Koninck opens at 11:00, so you can start in Antwerp and finish in Mechelen, if you find an afternoon slot at Het Anker.

### Do you have to book De Koninck?
Its website sells tickets online: buy them beforehand to avoid waiting. Group tastings on Sundays require booking.